Mental health services 'unsafe'

16th October 2013

The mental health service in England is in crisis and unsafe, says one of
the country's leading psychiatrists.

An investigation by BBC News and magazine Community Care, found more
than 1,500 beds have closed in the past few years, and many mental health
Trusts have all of their beds occupied. In 2011/12 there was a 9% reduction in
the number of mental health beds available.

Dr Martin Baggaley, one of the country’s leading psychiatrists, has spoken
out about the mental health service in England, claiming it is unsafe.

"We are in a real crisis at the moment. I think currently the system is
inefficient, unsafe. We're certainly feeling it on the front line, it's very
pressured, and we spend a lot of our time struggling to find beds, sending
people across the country which is really not what I want to do."

Care Minister Norman Lamb said the current situation was
"unacceptable" and provision must improve.